Complete Roofing Shingles Prices Guide (2024)

Typical Price Range To Install A New Roof
Low
$4,190
Average
$5,384
High
$7,886
See costs in your area

Roofing shingles prices range from $4,190 to $5,740 installed on a 1,600 sq. ft. ranch house, including materials and labor.

The type of shingles, as well as the brand you select will have a great impact on your total roof replacement cost. You can purchase budget friendly 3-tab shingles, expensive designer shingles and everything in between.

Moreover, keep in mind that your roof shingles price estimates may vary depending on your location, job complexity and the contractor you hire.

How Much Is A Square Of Shingles?

Cost of Roof Shingles
SQ. FT.
x
Low End
Mid Range
High End
Materials
$1879
$2042
$2593
Labor
$2720
$2956
$3754
Cost / S.F.
$3.05
$3.31
$4.2
Total Cost
$4598
$4998
$6348

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Across the US, the average price for a square of roof shingles is $320 – 340 per square, including materials and installation. This is equivalent to $3.20 – 3.40 per square foot (1 roof square = 100 sq. ft.)

On the lower end of the price spectrum, its possible to install a basic 3-tab shingles roof for as little as $2.60 per square foot or $260 per square.

You can use Roof Shingles Calculator to get a more accurate estimate for your home.

Average Roofing Shingles Prices

Here is a table with average prices per square foot for the most popular types of asphalt shingles:

Shingle Type Average Price Per Sq.Ft. Average Lifespan Warranty
3-Tab Shingles $0.78 – 0.93 per sq. ft. 12-18 25-30 years
Architectural Shingles $0.99 – 1.63 per sq. ft. 15-25 50 years to Lifetime
Premium/Designer Shingles $1.50 – 2.24 per sq. ft. 20-30 Lifetime
Starter Shingles $0.38 – 2.12 per ln.ft. Same as shingle type Same as shingle
Hip and Ridge Shingles $1.43 – 4.12 per ln.ft. Same as shingle type Same as shingle

Most homeowners install either 3-Tab or Architectural (laminated) shingles. These as well as premium varieties are made by multiple manufacturers in US and Canada. The largest shingle manufacturers are:

GAF
CertainTeed
Owens Corning
Tamko
IKO
Atlas
Malarkey

The most popular architectural shingles sold in the US are Timberline HD by GAF. Their biggest competitor are Landmark shingles by CertainTeed.

Read our comparison guide on Timberline vs Landmark to get a better sense of what will work for your house.

The cheapest shingle varieties are sold by IKO or Atlas.

Pro Tip: If you have a cut-up roof, flashing around chimneys, skylights, dormers, etc will cost at least an extra $200-500. Moreover, there will be additional costs if you need to replace rotten roof boards or plywood (about $2 per sq. ft.).

Also if your roof has valleys, their will be another cost of about $15-20 per 1 linear foot of valley length, which pays for extra Ice & Water shield, waste a extra labor incurred by the roofer.

Roof Shingles Cost Breakdown

Here is a closer look at prices for different types of asphalt shingles.

PRODUCT COST
3 – Tab (standard) $25 – 30 / bundle or $75 – 90 / square
Standard Architectural (Laminated) $28 – 32 / bundle, or $84 – 96 / square
Premium Architectural (Laminated) $45 + / bundle or $135 + / square
Energy-Efficient (Cool Roof) $40 + / bundle or $120 + / square

In the past three years, from 2016-2020, shingle prices have actually gone down by about 20%. This is great news for homeowners looking to get a new roof.

Shingles Price Based On Brand

When researching various asphalt shingle products for your roof, you have surely noticed that some manufacturers and brands are more expensive than others.

However, usually for the same class products, prices are pretty competitive across manufacturers. The biggest difference between them is mostly in the brand name recognition, roofers’ and homeowners’ perception of material quality, and installer’s preference.

Here is a quick reference chart comparing shingle costs across the top brands: GAF, CertainTeed, Owens Corning, IKO, Tamko and Malarkey shingles.

GAF CertainTeed Owens Corning IKO Tamko Malarkey
             
3-tab $0.81 $0.89 $0.82 – 0.84 $0.79 $0.72-0.77 $0.73 – 0.82
Architectural $0.87 – 1.33 $0.91 – 1.42 $0.97 – 1.26 $0.86-0.88 $0.84 – 1.05 $1.21 – 1.55
Designer $1.6 – 2.85 $1.48 – 2.47 $1.48 – 2.80 N/A $1.80 – 2.05 $1.58 – 1.70

Roofing Shingles Cost By Bundle

Asphalt shingles are sold in bundles. There are 3 bundles per square. 1 square of roof area covers about 100 sq. ft.

Here is a quick look at the cost per bundle of shingles:

Shingle Type Price Per Bundle Price Per Sq.ft. Price Per Square
3-Tab Shingles $26 – 28 $0.78 – 0.93 $78-93
Architectural Shingles $33 – 54.33 $0.99 – 1.63 $99-163
Premium/Designer Shingles $50 – 74.65 $1.50 – 2.24 $150-224

Note, the precise number of bundles you need to buy really depends on your roof size, slope (roof pitch), and how cut up it is. For example, a 1600 sq. ft. roof will need at least 16 squares or 54 bundles of shingles (rounded up from 53.3).

Keep in mind that a professional roofer will also estimate a slightly larger order of shingles, just to be on the safe side and have enough shingles to finish the job.

Usually, roofers estimate about 10% waste for materials. For example, if your roof is 16 squares, your price quote will include 17 squares of roof shingles.

You may be able to get cheaper pricing if you go to a roofing supplier and by shingles from IKO, Owens Corning or Atlas.

Pro Tip: Most homeowners install architectural shingles instead of 3 tab shingles, because these provide the best value. You get good looking roof shingles with solid durability in most weather conditions and a service life of up to 30 years.

It makes sense to invest in expensive premium shingles, such as Malarkey, only if they offer some extra protection from the elements, as opposed to only curb appeal.

For example, there are algae resistant roof shingles, which help protect asphalt roofs from black streaks and other forms of algae damage.

Similarly, there are wind/hurricane resistant shingles, which are made to withstand wind uplift of up to 115 mph. These are a great investment, if you live in an area that gets frequent strong winds and roofs get damaged by wind.

Another alternative is to invest into metal roofing, which has unbeatable advantages over the most expensive and durable asphalt shingles.

Prices For Architectural vs 3-Tab Shingles

Across the board, you will notice that laminated or architectural shingles cost about 20-35% more than standard 3-tab shingles.

To a naked eye, this cost difference can be attributed to curb appeal: laminated shingles provide a more dimensional, attractive appearance.

However, the real reason for the extra cost is material composition, and as a result longevity and durability of the shingles.

One of the biggest differences between these three different classes of shingles is the thickness on the product. Architectural shingles have a body that is about 30% thicker compared to 3-tabs, and designer shingles can be as much as 50% thicker.

Thicker shingles are more durable, long lasting, as well as weather resistant. Another huge benefit is that these shingles look a lot more attractive and dimensional than 3-tab shingles, which have a very flat appearance.

Asphalt Shingles Prices At Home Depot vs. Roofing Supplier

If you are planning to install the shingles yourself, you may be wondering whether you can save money by buying them at Home Depot rather than a roofing supply store.

In short: Home Depot roofing shingles will be only slightly cheaper – a difference of about 2.5%

Here is an example of pricing I got from Beacon Sales in West Bridgewater, MA (Brockton branch), for CertainTeed Landmark, GAF Timberline and IKO Cambridge laminated shingles.

Roof Shingles cost

This chart compares the cost of asphalt shingles from Beacon vs. Home Depot

Brand Home Depot Price Roofing Supply Store Price
3-Tab $23.20 per bundle or $69.6 per square $23.50 / bundle or $70.50 / square
GAF TIimberline Natural Shadow $25.20 / bundle or $75.6 / square N/A
GAF Timberline $26 / bundle or $78 / square $26.67 / bundle or $80.01 / square
CertainTeed Landmark N/A $26.67 / bundle or $80.01 / square
IKO Cambridge N/A $25.00 / bundle or $75 / square

Note, that prices for 3 tabs are calculated based on a quantity larger than 16 squares. The cost for architectural varieties is calculated based on a quantity larger than 12 squares.

Roof Shingles Cost Differences Based On Location

When you research shingle prices online and compare them to quotes from your local contractors you may discover a surprising fact: these prices can be VERY DIFFERENT.

This is not because online information is false, or roofers are out of touch with reality. Rather, actual roof installation costs vary widely, depending on where you live.

Different costs of living, from very high to very low, basically set the standard for labor rates in a particular region.

If you live in an expensive city, such as New York or San Francisco, you will be paying a premium price for a new install.

This premium can be as high as 18% more than the national average. On the opposite end, if you live in a small town somewhere in the middle of Arkansas, you will be paying less than the national averages sited online. Often, as much as 16% less.

Asphalt Shingles Accessories Prices

When considering the cost of roofing materials, many people take into account just the shingles. This is incorrect, as a roof made up of shingles alone will not work. You also need to factor in the cost of all the accessories that must be included in a complete roof system.

On average, you can expect to pay an additional $125-150 / square for materials only.

A roofing system consists of the following components:

  • Shingles
  • Underlayment: Felt, Synthetic, Ice & Water Shield
  • Hip / Ridge cap
  • Flashing
  • Drip edge metal
  • Ventilation (ridge vent)
  • Pipe boots
  • Lead & step flashing
  • Nails, caulking, and other small things

Without utilizing all of these accessories, your roof will likely leak, and your warranty (from ANY manufacturer) will be null and void immediately after installation!

On average, here is what homeowners across the US report spending on the individual accessories:

ACCESSORY TYPE COST
15 / 30 lb felt $21.25 / roll. Covers 400 / 200 sq. ft.
CHEAP Ice & Water shield $98 per roll. Covers 200 sq. ft.
GOOD Ice & Water shield $139 per roll. Covers 200 sq. ft.
Hip / Ridge Cap $46.93 / bundle. Covers 20 ln. ft.
Ventilation (ridge vent) $50.25 for a 20 ft. roll of Cobra ridge vent
Synthetic Underlayment $84 for 400 sq. ft. roll of GAF Deck Armor

Local MA roofing accessories prices

To give you a real life example of how prices for roofing accessories may differ depending on where you live, we went to a Home Depot in Boston, MA and got the following information:

15 / 30 lb felt: $15.75 / roll. 400 / 200 sq. ft. coverage respectively
Ice & Water BARRIER (generic): 69.00 per roll – 200 sq. ft. coverage
Ice & Water Shield (by Grace): $138.00 per roll – 225 sq. ft. coverage
Hip / Ridge Cap: $51.95 / bundle. 20 ln. ft. coverage
Ventilation (ridge vent): $55 for a 20 ft. roll of Cobra ridge vent
Synthetic Underlayment: $101.84 for 400 sq. ft. roll of GAF Deck Armor
GAF DeckArmor 1000 s.f. Synthetic Underlayment: $203 for 1000 sq. ft. roll

How To Avoid Scams On Roof Shingles Prices

Roof Shingles Cost

All too often, a homeowner does not know if the quotes he is getting from local pros are fair. As a result, some roofers take advantage of this lack of information, and charge unreasonably high prices…and some homeowners end up paying:(

Here is a telling example from my business:

I was doing an estimate the other day, and the client showed me a quote he got from another contractor. Besides a ridiculously high price (about $700 / square, on a 22 squares, 12 pitch roof, with 1 layer tear-off and 3 dormers), what struck me the most was the difference in price between 3-tab and architectural “lifetime” shingles (formerly knows as 30-years).

For 3-tabs (25 years), the price was $14790 ($673 / square), and for “lifetime” architectural shingles, it was $16500 ($750 / square). So what gives?

Why is there a $1710 difference between the two quotes?

Do architectural products cost $77 more per square?

The truth is, the roofer was taking the homeowner for a “ride”, trying to sell a “premium” package for an unjustified up-charge.

While I’m not judging the other contractor – it’s their business – I want to inform homeowners of the real price difference between the two. So when you are getting roof replacement quotes, you will know how much premium upgrades really cost.

As you will see below, the $77 / square up-charge was completely unjustified. The cost difference between 3-tab and laminated shingles is only $10 per square, while ALL other components of the system, as well as the installation costs are the SAME.

Thus, the difference should be maybe $300-500 – not $1700!

Shingle prices

By researching prices on line you can avoid falling into the trap described above. If you educate yourself, you can get a quality roof without spending a fortune.

Install Roof Shingles

$4872
Average price
Install Metal Roof

$10253
Average price
Install Flat Roof

$8257
Average price

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Author: Leo B
For over 20 years Leo has run a successful roofing business in New England, specializing in metal roofing, as well as cool flat roofing technologies. Having replaced and installed hundreds of roofs in New England, Leo has first hand experience with pretty much every residential roofing material and roofing manufacturer available in the US.
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66 comments on “Complete Roofing Shingles Prices Guide (2024)

  1. I wonder now that we have all sorts of new construction methods and robotics being integrated into modern roof construction, could we cut down labors costs by incorporating drones. They would bring the shingles to the right spots and create a constant supply to the current contractor.

  2. I recently had an older roof of (60 years ) 1700 sq. ft. re shingled. When the shingles and tar paper were removed it exposed the 6″ T&G shiplap roof deck. I was informed by the contractor that due to the spacing between the boards (1/4″ at most) that the deck would have to be covered over with 7/16″ OSB ( 53 sheets) and that if we did not due this the warranty would be void. The total cost before taxes was $4,500.00 to install the 53 sheets of OSB. This was based on a price of $2.75 per sq. foot. It took the installers 10 hours to install the 53 sheets. Due to the on center spacing of the rafters (25″/26″) the butt ends (4′ side) of the OSB completely missed the rafters and 11/4″ of the 21/2″ nails are now visible. Am I wrong or is the cost to install the OSB ridiculously high and should I be concerned with the OSB installation?

    1. Kim,

      Yes, the cost is ridiculously high! If I were you, I would not pay for OSB… at least not $4500. And if the roof wasn’t installed yet, I would demand to remove OSB and do the sheathing right, with CDX plywood, and to make sure that but joints end on rafters (cut extra)!

      1) OSB costs $8.68 pe sheet or $0.27 per square foot. At most this should cost $1.50 per square foot… they are not even removing old plywood.
      2) OSB is garbage – it should never be used on a roof (although I did do the same on my roof šŸ™‚ ) … but I would never do it for a customer. If or when OSB gets wet, it just falls apart into a pile of wood dust.
      3) Butt ends should alway start and end on the rafter. If it’s too short, it should be cut back.
      4) I believe the job is now against building code, because they missed rafters on ends.

      Did you initially agree to the $4500 for OSB? If you did, you should have done research before agreeing. Roofers should inspect roofs before they tear-off. It’s their job to do so. This means they should have known that you have 6ā€³ T&G shiplap roof deck BEFORE stripping shingles and “FINDING OUT” and putting you in situation where you have no roof, and it’s going to rain, and they need to do OSB fast…

      Bottom line – if roof was not installed yet – demand re-doing (with CDX, the right way) … or threaten with getting building inspector involved. Also, even if they did put shingles on, you don’t have to pay $4500 because they did not install OSB properly.

      Finally – it’s really not the end of the world – most likely there won’t be any issues – I mean OSB is nailed to rafters and boards. However you should not pay a total RIP OFF price for crappy work + crappy materials + roofer trapped you into this situation.

      Good luck

      1. Thanks Leo for the quick reply. Iā€™m in Canada and the cost of 7/16ā€ osb is a bit more pricey at $24.50 taxes included per sheet. The new roof is a Certainteed roof system and they recommend osb. One half of the roof had been removed when we were informed that a sheet over was required and should we decide not to go with the sheet over the warranty would be void. The original estimate to re shingle (no osb) was $5,900.00 before taxes. This price included roof tear off, disposal of material and clean up, installation of Certainteed roof system with 4 star 50 year warranty approx. 30 hours labour. However, the installation of osb was $4,500.00 before taxes labour and material approx. 10 hr. labour. Itā€™s evident where the profit was made at $1300 materialsā€¦..$3200 labour for 10 hours work.

        Regards,
        Kim

      2. Kim – hot-damn you get overcharged for OSB šŸ™ …

        Well think of it this way – Roofing subs get paid $50-100 per square of MUCH harder work than slap on 3 sheets of plywood. Your guy is charging $200 for labor? that is CRAZY … like I said, they HAVE to know before they strip the roof (unless you don’t have attic access), that you need plywood/osb

        So they basically they set you up into EITHER pay OR no warranty OR we stop and your roof leaks. That is BS if you ask me, and totally screws you over. Things like this MUST be discussed before job begins, and it’s contractor’s responsibility to let you know, what happens IF you need such and such

        Like I said, building dept. should should get involved … talk to your inspector … and don’t pay them yet… these guys are SUPER UNETHICAL

      3. BTW, on your original contract, you are paying for TEAR OFF and INSTALL of new roof systems, which assumes all visual flashings, etc, and SHOULD NOT be priced by hour. Its cost for total job. 30 hours should only be used a s time estimate – not for cost basis. Now I understand that if they find rotten wood, or chimney falling apart, and damaged skylight that cannot be reused … that warrants extra charges .. however all visible prats should be included in total cost… and as I mentioned twice already – it’s roofers responsibility to check the attic, to see if substrate is suitable for new roof, and to inform you of possible extra charges, BEFORE they stip your roof and you are stuck with a $4500 bill, and either pay up or roof leaks or no warranty.

        BTW … on the off topic – I know of few stories when roofing crew arrived at job site, stripped the roof – then home owner comes home and is like WHAT???? I did not order a new roof … turns out it was wrong house šŸ™‚ … just to cheer you up i guess

      4. Lmao my husband is a roofer and he did that but thankfully it was just a repair. And the homeowner wasnā€™t home the other home owner called the office and asked when will tech be out my husband told them he was already there

      5. You must not be a contractor or you would know OSB oriented strand board is actually stronger than plywood . It is not particle board and water will not harm it any more than it will harm plywood . We build houses and it is called out for roof sheeting in most projects . It is a little less expensive than exterior grade plywood but just as strong , it also has a radiant barrier on it to reflect heat .

      6. Robert, OSB stands for Obvious $hit Board … it may be “stronger” in some meaningless tests paid for by osb manufacturers, but in reality, it’s garbage.

        The only reason you use it in your projects is for YOU / CLIENT (GC or whoever) to save money on materials, but homeowner gets screwed big time, over few hundred dollars of savings that you pocket. You said it yourself – “less expensive than exterior grade plywood”.

        In roof application, osb falls apart very fast if water gets on it, whereas plywood lasts much longer, even in case of roof leaks. And the we (roofers) have to come in and fix your junk work, which ends up costing homeowner even more. But hey – to each their own – if quality means nothing to you, then be it.

        And i must not be a contractor .. yes, sure šŸ™‚

      7. OSB is last resort option, should be anyway. My experience with wet OSB is it did crumble up . Worse than ply wood did. I did a roof last year that when I started tearing shingles off there was no felt underneath only another layer of shingles and than another . Not one but two different roofers had saved themselves or the poor folks alot of doe over the years by not paying for removal. Homeowners did not know that. There roof was holding so much weight and with now felt it was leaking again and to the point of rotten plywood . If the old house roof was to calapse from all that weight and being in Oregon with snow sitting on it through winter I would not finish there patch job unless they decided to do the safe way and totally remove all and clear my conscience anyway. They could not afford the removal cost of basically removing 3 layers of shingles , this house was btw around 70 . You get what you pay for. It’s expensive but shortcuts when it comes to roofing is just foolish.

    1. Antonio,

      The average “retail” labor cost in Florida is $206 per square for installation only (no tear-off) and $257 for installation + tear-off. By retail I mean what average contractor will charge a customer. See FL roof prices.

      Here is how it’s calculated:

      Average asphalt roof cost in FL is $6207 – this is for a 1500 s.f. gable roof, with 1 layer tear-off and dump.
      Materials cost (assuming the roofer uses all required components, specified by manufacturer) is $1897, including waste of 7.5%. You can use our shingles calculator to estimate cost of materials for your roof.

      Average tear-off cost is $51 for 1 layer.
      Dump and permit fees about $450 (depends a lot by state / municipality). In Boston, dump fees are $110-150 per ton (2000 lbs.) and a 20 yard dumpster is $400+ … in Florida, dumpster and landfill fees may be lower.

      So we have $6207 – $1897 – $450 = $3860 for labor and tear-off.
      $3860 / 15 = $257 / square (with tear-off).
      $257-$51 = $206 / square for labor only.

      Hope this helps

  3. ARE YOU GUYS ON DOPE? FIRST OF ALL ITS BEEN OVER 15 YEARS SINCE ROOFING SUPPLIERS (HOME DEPOT IS NOT A ROOFING SUPPLIER). THEY ARE A RETAIL SUPPLIER FOR HOMEOWNERS PERIOD. I USED TO MANAGE CAMERON ASHELY BP BEFORE ABC BOUGHT THEM AND WE LOADED HOME DEPOTS ROOFS. STRIPS ARE STARTER, MIN $15.00-$25.00 PER SQ LESS’ PERIOD’

    EVERY SUPPLILER IN THE MOST EXPENSIVE PLACES TO LIVE LIKE SAN FRANCISCO, CA. LOS ANGELES. OC:

    $62.00 3 tab sq
    $85.00 Dimensionals

    WHATS THE RAQUET ALL ABOUT THE DIFFERNCE ON A 30 sq ROOF IS
    $690 PLUS THEY DONT RIP LIKE STRIPS SO YOU GOTTA CUT THEM AND IT TAKES A BIT LONGER.

    1. Brian, I’m not sure I get your comment… Home Depot sells shingles, at about the same prices that ABC and Beacon do. So technically they are a supplier. And i don’t believe most of those shingles are bought by homeowners.

      In Boston, our prices are about the same as yours – $80-85 for laminated and about $67-70 for 3-tabs…

      What do you mean by STRIPS ARE STARTER, MIN $15.00-$25.00 PER SQ LESSā€™ PERIODā€™?

      BTW, i don’t see how roofers on the west coast can charge $750-800 for asphalt and have steady work… its unrealistic.

  4. Thanks for an excellent article about true pricing. Why it’s so hard for business owners and contractors to be honest is such a huge surprise to me. Homeowners want a deal, yes… but most of us have been around long enough and really just want to know it’s done right. Thanks for selling the ‘done right’ package!!!

    The honest one will get the job, the profit and a customer for life. What’s better than that?

    1. David,

      1000% agree, and thanks for your input. I’ve had this issue for long time… and many roofers / salesmen, people in general, think it’s good idea to hide things… like prices…

      I hired a countertop company BECAUSE they were the only one who advertised prices … others I had to call / set up appointments … I never had the patience to even call them … I understand that in roofing it’s not always easy to have a “price list” because of many variables and unknowns … but it’s doable … however what I see most roofers think their prices are SACRED and they won’t disclose them at any cost …

      Transparency and honesty is what will rule the home improvement industry in the next few decades… with Amazon and Google jumping in now.

      Thanks for your input!

      Leo

  5. I have a 12×60 single wide mobile home..1999 Horton…I know how to install but nothing on how many I need to buy to cover but…it has a A roof with vent caps and vinyl siding…anyone please help me with figuring this out…

    1. Hugh
      You need 3 bundles of shingles to cover 100 sq. ft. You also need to figure in about 7-12% WASTE.

      So if your roof is about 750 sq. ft. (i’m not sure if you include overhangs in the 12×60), than you need 800-850 sq. ft. of shingles.

      If you buy at home depot / lowe’s – you can return unused bundles.

      Also – I would actually recommend an R-Panel metal roof for your mobile home – it costs the SAME as shingles but is WAY WAY better product, and is acutally easier to install!!!

      You can actually use our Shingles Calculator to estimate material costs.

      Good luck.

  6. It might be that the cost went up because there is a price difference between 3 tab and comp architecture and the fact that it’s a 12/12 roof which means you have to move 20% more bundles on a really steep roof. 3 tab is 4 bundles per square and comp is 5 bundles per square.

    1. Eric,

      I don’t get it – how do you get “more bundles” on steep roof? I mean 1 square = 100 sq. ft. = 3 bundles of laminated shingles. If roof becomes steeper, you still need 3 bundles per square.

      Now if you have 12/12 pitch roof – then job becomes more difficult, but your materials are the same – roof size + 8-15% waste

      1. Did you read what he said? The pitch affects the difficulty. The style shingle affects how many bundles you need to move on a difficult roof. Architectural shingles are 4 bundles per square. So a three tab 15 square is 45 bundles but 15 square architectural is 60 bundles. You’re moving 33% more material.

      2. Ed, I read what Eric said, but it does not make any sense!

        Pitch DOES affect difficulty, but not the number of shingles. If you have a 3/12 or 12/12 roof that is 1000 sq. ft. you will need the same amount of shingles (plus waste).

        3 tabs and arch shingles ar both 3 bundles per square for most manufacturers / brands.

        You guys are seriously confused by this simple math.

        1 square = 3 bundles
        10 square = 30 bundles

        Steeper roof DOES NOT EQUAL more material – just more work.

        Cut up roof means more material, because your waste goes up.

        Sincerely, Leo

  7. Home Depot did our roof w GFA S HB shingles in 2008. It started to leak, no one from Home Depot came out to fix it. We had to pay another contractor to get red of mold in the house. We have warranty. How can we solve this problem and who should repair this leak? please call: Bobby and Mary Schoppe cr 418 Address 1935 Somerville Texas 77842 979 596 2080

    1. Mary,

      You should file some sort of claim with a local building department to force Home Depot to take care of this.

      Home Depot is the company that sold you the roof and made commission off the total.

      However – they use a 3rd party company to run “installation services”. Now, this 3rd party company hires ONLY sub-contractors to do installations.

      These subs get paid PER-SQUARE – so the faster they work, the more they make. This results in cutting corners and not properly flashing critical details/areas such as valleys / chimneys / skylights etc.

      That’s why I always recommend homeowners to hire an owner-operated small to medium size company (usually with no more than 5 roofers). This most of the time results in better quality installation.

      Good luck, Leo

      1. Leo,

        The local Building department is not where claims against contractors is to be made . It is the Contractors State Licensing Board. If you walk into the Bldg Dept, they will get a good laugh at your expense, tell you to go to the CSLB, and then laugh you out of the door.

        Sincerely,
        Steve

  8. There is so much ridiculous chatter on here I don’t know where to start.
    So because a company gives a quote that may be high they are scammers?????
    Has anyone looked at the costs to run a legitimate roofing business lately? 43% surcharge on any wages paid goes for insurance, taxes and office ($20/hr x .43= $28.60).

    Its ok for the automaker to put the truck you just bought for $45,000 on sale for $39,500, after thousands of people paid the higher price…. the grocery store has a high price on beer, but on Friday it’s on sale…. the doctor who just put in your grandpa’s pacemaker is expensive but does a good job right???????????

    This is all such BS. Whenever there is a ‘contractor’ complaining that there is someone in their market charging too much, he is a whiner who has ZERO sales skills and is unable to see the value in his own work let alone anyone else’s. When he hits 50 years old and his body, truck and bank account are all shot because he worked for sub par wages 7 days a week for 30 years he will think twice.

    Roofing and construction is hard, labor intensive work and anyone doing it at cut rate prices is crazy. Having their kids, family and friends work for cash to keep the cost down and save the homeowner some money.

    When the homeowner sells their home, will they cut a check to the construction guy for doing such a great job and getting them an extra $10,000 on their sale price???? I HIGHLY doubt it.

    Pull up your bug boy boots and get with the real world. We live in the USA… free market, free economy, capitalism. If you don’t think you should get paid well for wearing out your body, tools, trucks and barely seeing your family, then maybe you should go to China and see how that works out for you.

    Cost of materials + cost of labor + market demand + markup = Sales price

    In a free market economy, that’s how it works; for any of you idiots that think it should be cheaper.

    Oh and that guy that thinks home Depot and Lowe’s are expensive…. they are! But it doesn’t go to the contractor. The contractor gets a set rate no matter what, and it is low. I have had many friends in the trades try and work with them and fail. Ask any of the subs working for them currently how long they have been there… very short term.

      1. you are forgetting about the 43% workmans comp on the roof labor, that’s 1 man $20/hr and 3 @ $15/hr=$58,136/year in workmans comp

      2. Carl, I believe I included Workers Comp into roof installation costs guide under labor section.

        This guide talks about cost of MATERIALS for an asphalt shingles roof – not labor

        But yea – Work Comp is VERY expensive and most roofers don’t have it for their workers šŸ™

    1. I couldn’t have said it better myself! Why do people constantly short themselves out of $ by trying to low bid their work? My skills are superb and I should be paid for them. A 12 pitch has to be staged and it also mentioned there were 3 dormers, so basically a hard roof to do and cut up. So back in 1995 I was getting $350-$450/ sq for something like that. 30 yrs later with cost of living doubling I don’t think $500-550 is asking too much!

  9. Lots of misunderstanding and naive people with no clue about roofing.

    What irritates me is people use the word “lifetime” regarding 30 year laminated shingles-there is no such thing or even warranty. Also, the pricing difference between 25 yr 3-tab shingles and 30 year dimensional, laminated shingles can vary by as much as $100-200 a square. Also most of you people don’t have a clue that the labor for higher-end shingles is dramatically increased due to shingle thickness and other factors.

    Btw, there are presidential shingles which carry 40 and 50 year warranties against manufacturer defects only. Don’t fool yourself with the word “lifetime”, which doesn’t exist for most products available.

    1. Materials for a 30 year roof, standard installation, about $110.00 per square. Labor about $110.00. Squares for 2,600 square feet under roof, about 40. Equates to about $9,000.00 for a 2,200 square foot home with an attached 2 car garage. This for a top notch turn key job with new ridge vents and top notch materials. Anything more is a ripoff. Your $350 to $400 is way or of line.

  10. “You get what you pay for”

    PRODUCT VS. SERVICE

    The shingles don’t install themselves.

    Company A – 10,000
    8 days to finish
    Very messy,
    Rude,
    Rusty equipment, etc.
    Everyone in the neighborhood thought they did a horrible job.

    Company B – 7,800
    1 day to finish
    Super clean
    Great people
    Beautiful equipment.
    1/2 the people in the neighborhood hired them to do theirs also.

    Skp Ahead 5 years……………..

    Company A – Not much has changed.

    Company B – Out of business.
    Why?….They gave a lower price by hiring unskilled workers. (installed fast, but wrong)
    Shingles are blowing off of all of the houses they did in the neighborhood because the nails
    were installed too high. The final thing that put them out of business is they didn’t carry the proper
    roofing insurance….just contractors insurance…….an accident occurred and they closed their doors.

    So who was the best deal????
    The 10,000 company that seemed to have done a horrible job….but they didn’t.

    Homeowners are ripped off everyday when hiring a contractor to do their roof. When I say ripped off….I’m saying
    the lower price contractor, because more times then not…the roof ends up needing to be replaced in less than 10 years, due to
    poor installation.

    So in the end……

    Company A
    10,000

    Company B –
    17,800 + inflation, because they had to redo the roof, and the price went up 5 years later.

    If you are a homeowner looking for a roof….be careful about online advice. In the end….you’ll have to go with your gut. If it sounds to good to be true…then it probably is.

    Who am I? I inspect over 600 roofs each year………I’ve seen it all…

    1. That’s what I always say. I always see jobs that fail in 5 to 10 years and when I inspect them I see metals missing, nails too high or completely rusted. Another one I see a lot is people pressure washing a shingle roof.

    2. Kyle –

      Good rundown of real roof cost over time.

      I completely agree.

      Unfortunately (or fortunately for contractors and manufacturers) most homeowners will opt for lower cost roofs, which creates a good job security for 1000s of roofers and factory workers, as well as people in the roofing supply chain.

      Leo

  11. This insurance crap drives me crazy insurance says roof is worth say 23 square 3 tab 7,000 this is the RCV and depreciation is 4,000 the ACV is 3,000 what they would pay if I had basic coverage. But because I have replacement coverage they pay the whole thing. So by not repairing the gutters and downspouts which are only cosmetic damage they will know after inspection that unless fixed they will not be covered in another storm. So the roofing company is using this money to put toward the bill to make it more profitable for them. I was reading that I have up to two years to make these repairs after claim and I can do all myself. I would re roof it myself if it wasn’t insured, a little fascia and gutter work won’t take more than a day

  12. I was wondering if the price sounds right and that he is using the money from other things AVC to pay for deductible. He also says that I can fix the other things that he isn’t and get some money from the insurance company

    1. Bill,

      I’m even more confused now šŸ™‚

      What is AVC? What other things that can be fixed?

      0) Ice and water shield must extend 3 (three) feet beyond interior wall (not 2 or 3 feet from the roof edge). Because if your wall is 6″ and overhang is 12″, then ice dam coverage is ONLY 18″ (36″ wide ice shield) into living/heated space. So you need double ice and water shield.

      This is a very common misconception and MOST roofers and building inspectors do not understand / know this Building Code requirement.

      1) The money you are getting from insurance company are more or less ok … a bit on a low side, but that depends on where in Illinois you live. Use our calculator to compare prices between “market rates” and what your Ins. Co. is paying you.

      2) You might want to get a public adjuster (PA) for a “second opinion” and to maybe get some supplements. I am not very knowledgeable about insurance work (we alway work with customer directly, and never with insurance, so i don’t know many nuances on how to get the most money out of them).

      3) You may want to get a couple of extra estimates.

      4) I recommend you contract David Herring on Google+ – he is VERY knowledgeable about insurance work – I think he is a PA. Even if you just read his posts, you will know much more about insurance roof coverage, and supplements, etc.

      5) TECHNICALLY YOU SHOULD BE PAYING DEDUCTIBLE, otherwise it’s insurance fraud I think … but that varies from state to state.

      6) You should fix other thing, within the same claim, as otherwise, you will have to pay deductible again..

      My recommendation is to get 1 contractor to do the ROOF, GUTTERS, FASCIA, VENTILATION, and all other small things related to the roof. You don’t want to use different contractors for the above, as they are all related and interconnected, and should be done at once in a specific order. If there will be multiple contractors, you are asking for troubles.

      You can get another contractor for the inside work.

      Good luck.

  13. The kind of underlay needed varies by climate region, we don’t have any problems with ice dams down here in Texas! Home Depot don’t even carry Deck Armor here or in many other parts of the country.

    Prices also will vary tremendously by region. For example I just checked Home Depot prices in a few cities:
    25 year 3 tab versus Lifetime (GAF Royal Sovereign and Timberline) $24.25 vs $30.50 in Austin, TX, $24.33 vs $26.25 in Portland, OR, $21.66 vs $28.55 in Chicago and $29.90 vs $35.95 in Brooklyn, NY.
    So I found that the difference between 25 year and Lifetime shingles ranges from just $5.76 a square in Portland to $20.52 a square in NY. Regional price variations of 25 year shingles varied from $21.66 square in Chicago to $35.95 a square in Brooklyn.

  14. I am a roofer and I hate when people take advantage of others. I believe in good work and fair prices. Unscrupulous contractors give a really bad rep to other roofers, making very hard for homeowners to trust contractors who are actually honest and hard working. It really pisses me off, and a lot of them get away with it all the time.

  15. Disappointed that your website implies you’ve got a calculator but obviously you’ve removed the code behind the 2 pretend calculators here. Must be you’re making more money by getting a cut of the leads you generate from Home Advisor. Knowing how these sites work, I don’t want to make any roofers waste money paying for leads that are mostly a wild goose chase, but also means I won’t refer anyone to your site.

    1. @ Tina,

      1) Our roofing calculator WORKS! There must me something with your browser if you can’t see results.
      2) We don’t work with home advisor, but yes, we do make a small amount for each roofing lead – it’s called affiliate program.
      3) I don’t see how our website is involved in in “wild goose chase” as you call it. We are not involved in leads processing and do not generate / control leads.

      What ere the “these sites” that you refer to and know how they work? Please elaborate.

      Also, why is this comment posted on the “Roofing Shingles Prices” page, and not on the calculator page where it belongs?

    2. @ Tina,

      Also, on your website, in the article “Tips on picking a new roof” you recommend Harvey Building Products. Harvey BP is the most overpriced supplier there is. On average they are 10-30% more expensive than other roofing / siding distributors of SAME products.

      So why would you recommend them?

  16. Cindy,

    I agree 100% with you. This is a pure money grabbing scheme from ALL the manufacturers. There isn’t a “good” guy out there. They are all greedy, and we are stuck paying what they demand, because there really is not other option. GAF or Owens Corning or IKO or Tamko … all make pretty much the same shingle, and cost about the same, and raise prices together. This is a “monopoly”.

    The options of slate / wood / metal / tile roofing are available, but often not so affordable, and most people choose the “inexpensive” asphalt shingle.

    And the result – the house built in 1900 has had an average of 5-8 asphalt roofs put on it and removed over the years. If the original builder / owner chose a more expensive alternative, than following owners would not waste thousands of dollars on roofing … Now multiply that by 130 millions of single family homes in US alone, with a new roof being put on it every 15-20 years on average.

    This is a huge business, and roofing manufacturers will not let it go away. That’s why Tamko bought Metal Works – so they can also control the “alternative” roofing materials. Most other big names also have a synthetic or natural slate line.

    In fact, I’m working on a long article about the US roofing manufacturers … will be out soon. Stay tuned.

    1. No, they do not make “pretty much the same shingles”. There really is a difference, and that is in the quality of the brand. I will never use IKO or ATLAS unless specified by a customer. Simply because after about 20 years experience I’ve realized that GAF and Tamko make products that last.

      Also, you have to understand that it is a business. Of course roofers are going to make money on your job! They have to feed their families too! It is grueling work. You can’t expect to pay at cost and you can’t expect the roofer to give away 12 cents to earn a dime.

      At the same time, you need to get a few estimates and make sure the numbers are at least comparable. If company A is 2,000 more than company B, ask why. Sometimes you can get lucky with a cheap quote. But, if it is extremely low, it’s probably a bunch of Mexicans traveling the states slapping up sub par roofs. They will NEVER come back to fix the giant hole they left by your dormer and didn’t even flash properly.

      If company A charges $1,000 extra but is a well established, highly recommended company, than choose them. They are $1,000 more, but maybe it’s because they are being more attentive to your project and are actually going to stick around. So if you happen to have an issue and they have a nice 7 year workmanship warranty, they will come out tomorrow to fix ANY issues. Use your heads people, don’t just think about your wallet, consider all the factors.

  17. As a roofing contractor, I will be the first to say that giving an accurate price is one of the hardest things to do. A lot of planning must be performed to attain a “good” price, where both the contractor is happy and the homeowner is happy.

    What’s worse, all the names of the materials must be known in order to compare apples with apples. There are definitely architectural shingles that can cost $2000.00 more than a regular 3-tab for the specified roof size. The cost is affected by things like shingle weight, lamination, color variance, depth, and manufactured quality.

    I personally believe its up to the contractor to explain these differences and to provide good customer service to find out what the owner is really interested in, but not all contractors work this way.

    Joe makes a good point as well. It’s hard to say what’s included in the price. We must first determine that ALL variables in both estimates are the same, and the only different one being the price of BASIC architectural shingles.

    1. John C,

      Thanks for your input.

      Basically, both proposals were identical with the exception of “30 years lifetime” architectural shingles vs 3-tab shingles.

      I agree that it is difficult to find that golden middle, where you and the homeowner are happy with the price, and your company is chosen over your competitors, based on merit and not price. However, the contractor is the one fully responsible for building rapport and trust with the homeowner.

      In my rant, the contractor was trying to take advantage of the “woman” factor … the same thing often happens when women go to auto repair shops – they will most likely get a higher price than a man would for the same work.

      This means that the contractor (or salesman) in this case is a dishonest bastard, trying to prey on a customer’s perceived lack of “knowledge”.

      In any case, we installed a metal roof for her šŸ™‚

      Leo

  18. woa, woa, woa, woa , the only real questions here should be. is this quote for resheathing … and how high…facia? 4 story , with 75 sheets plywood,and 250′ of plastic trim. still i dunno, 15 large. 1 guy – setup …..staging , ladders, tarps ,safety,dumpster,delivery, property prep– 1day
    1 guy- tear down…… siding removal, roof removal, clean up, cover 1.5 days
    1 guy- install……..fascia, drip edge,flashing, lead, ice&water, felt, 1.5 days
    1 guy- install……… patterns, starters, shingles, ridge vent, cap, 2 days
    1 guy- finish……. siding, painting, pickup, 1 day
    1 guy- payday……….check, bank, 30 min.
    work the weekend . and i just made 1,500 profit per day. 7 calendar days
    10,000 profit. 10 large.
    2500 – shingles
    1000 – vent, caps, drip edge, ice and water, felt
    1000 materials, nails, tools, flashing, lead, permit, dumpster
    Screw it and call it 6,000( no way ,,,, it would be 6000)
    .
    Roofing is a skill trade. There is money to be made. It is hard work. To run a business with employees and apprentices, with trucks and trailers, takes a lot of money in insurance, comp, and health care, gas and repairs, and so on and so on.

    That estimate you see up there, reflects a lot more on operating that roofing business, surcharges, and dividing operating costs into each job. That’s fair. That’s what you gotta do to make profit and be successful.

    Find a local guy who can install a roof, who has got 1 helper; probably his son making $15 an hour, 1 truck, and homeowners insurance. With references, $8,000 max.

    Like I said, I didn’t do an estimate. It could be a nightmare 3 – 4 story, city house surrounded by uneven rock and cliffs, with a million pieces of siding to remove, sheathing gone, who knows…. but c’mon guys that is a lot of money.

  19. That is a rip off…no way should anyone pay $700/sq..

    Most companies in western NY are about 350/sq for a tear off. Here bundles are $33.

    We also require 6′ of ice shield. The price of shingle drastically rose since hurricane KATRINA, because of supply and demand and the cost of oil. Every natural disaster raises the price of all building materials. Everyone knows that once a price has increased and people are paying it (due to necessity) the company will not lower their prices; they will pad their pockets with the profits.

  20. Question about the materials list above. You need both the felt and the underlayment? What function does one do that the other does not?

    Thanks,
    Jet

    1. Hi Jet,

      Felt is a type of underlayment. It is basically tar-saturated paper. Felt is the most common (read CHEAPEST) type of underlayment used typically with asphalt shingles.

      Underlayments can be organic (felt) or synthetic. Synthetic is more expensive, but also is much better. We always use synthetic underlay – more specifically GAF Deck Armor – it is breathable underlay that lets the moisture from inside the attic escape, while keeping all exterior moisture out. Deck Armor costs $23 / square, while felt is like $7 per square.

      Hope this helps.

  21. Talk about a rip-off. It wasn’t long ago you could get a square (100 sq ft.) for $21.00 plus tax for three tab. Maybe you are barking up the wrong tree.

    1. It was way long ago Ron. 30 years ago we used to stockpile if shingles went under 7 bucks. Back then there weren’t starters and we could use leftovers from jobs as starters. $7.10 per bundle was price in Ontario Canada. I am a GC in Ohio now with a really sharp pencil and some good deals from supply houses. On a simple gabled roof with no valleys materials cost on my truck is 100/square. That’s not delivered, not installed, just bought. Normally materials only run 107-116 per square pre-tax for me.

    2. $21 / square was in 1998 when oil was $10/barrel

      Now it $90-100 per square (3-tabs maybe $85) + all accessories + tax = $130-150 per square in materials alone.

  22. It’s hard to give out accurate estimates for any project. There are so many variables that need to be factored in. As the rant suggests, there is too wide a spread. No way can you justify such a difference – unless you accept that there is an intention to take advantage of the gullible home owner. My 2 cents.

  23. John,

    The roofer in the rant hires illegals who fight with cops, drive drunk and sometimes kill people. This was in the news recently, so I’m not making it up. They do have a fleet and office. I highly doubt “provides a descent wage and health insurance and retirement benefits.” I didn’t inspect their books, and don’t want to – it is none of my business.

    But here is the thing:

    For the same job, Lowe’s quoted $11500 with 30-year “lifetime” shingles.

    And Lowe’s is EXPENSIVE! The Corp. needs to make money, and salesman makes 5-10% commission and they need to pay the sub, and ALL subs working for Lowe’s (Home Depots, Sears, and other similar joints) have Liability and Worker’s Comp.

    Besides, most shingle jobs go for $300-400 / sq. Maybe $450 on cut-up roofs. But $700 / sq is insane. That’s almost as much as a metal roof. I’m not saying a roofing company is not entitled to anything more than $450 / square, no. But you have to take the environment into account. When everyone is at $300-400, getting $700 becomes problematic.

    But I’ve seen this first had, how they go to elderly women, tell them fairy-tales about lifetime warranty, and charge $1000 /sq. for vinyl siding (Sears), or $1000 / vinyl window. This is not illegal, because people sign contracts voluntarily. But, they have aggressive sales force that is trained to CLOSE the deal.

    I’m not judging the roofer in the rant. It’s their business – if they can find people who are out of touch with reality to pay the $700+ for an asphalt roof, good for them.

    My rant was about the spread between 3-tabs and architects. Seriously – there is about 22-23 squares on that roof before waste. Even if they buy 25 squares of material, that is $80 / sq difference between 3-tab and laminates.

    I’m not saying they cannot do it. Once again, if they can get that, by all means. This article is intended to inform homeowners of the “premium” upgrades and their true cost. That is all.

    1. I believe this guy.

      He knows that a lot of roofers just like mechanics and repairmen take advantage of people in this economy.

      Thousands of people lost their homes and the the people who still have their homes and need repairs done, can’t afford to do the work because of these companies taking advantage of the consumer.

      Be honest, be reasonable. Give the best estimate and you will all be in business for a long time. Instead, be a con artist and you will go under eventually.

      I have had these roofers give me estimates anywhere from $5,800 to $14,000 for the same job and materials; tell me this isn’t a joke.

    2. I had hail damage in Illinois and the insurance said the roof would cost 6,400 with 3 tab 23 square and I had other damage to the fascia vents edge and gutters that came to 1,900 my deductible was a thousand. The roofing company took the extra money for gutters,fascia,downspouts, a small screen and painting three ceilings from water getting under the shingles. They will give me a new roof with tear off, replace edge,vents,boots,ice and water shield 2 feet past the drywall on inside wall, 15 lb felt on 4-twelve pitch and use OC Oak ridge architectural shingles at no cost to me. They will be done in one day

      1. Bill,

        What are you trying to say? That you got a free roof?

        If so, it’s not exactly correct.

        1) You are paying for it with your insurance premiums.
        2) Other insured homeowners are paying for your roof.
        3) Most insurance re-roofs are sub-par quality (but not always).

        Basically, I do not understand the point you are trying to make, but it seems that you are bragging about getting a “free roof” …

        Respectfully, Alex

  24. Regarding the introductory rant. Maybe the roofer you say is overcharging the homeowner:
    Maintains an office with someone that answers the phone
    Maintains general liabity insurance.
    Maintains a fleet of vehicles with commercial insurance.
    Has every employee covered under workers compensation
    Doesn’t use subcontractors that are traditionally underinsured.
    Provides a descent wage and health insurance and retirement benefits.

    Maybe doing the right thing costs $$